Catalonia

Introduction

Québec's relations with Catalonia demonstrate a mutual and clear interest that has
never waivered in recent decades. Catalonia's strategic position within Europe together
with its leadership in economy, technology, culture and tourism make it an important
partner for expanding our exports and promoting our culture and expertise.

Social issues common to Québec and Catalonia are:

Cultural diversity

Identity issues

Language policies and language protection

Immigrant integration

Openness to the world

Economic development in general

And more specifically, the development of the knowledge economy.

Political relations

With Spain's return to democracy (late 1970s), Catalonia took an interest in Québec
institutions and legislation as it explored models for its own development as an
autonomous government. Following several missions carried out by Catalonia and Québec
in the early 1980s, both governments decided to formalize emerging cooperation through an exchange of letters
stipulating that the Québec government agreed to cooperate “in all areas of its
jurisdiction” with the Catalan government. A
framework agreement (in French) signed in 1996 specified areas of cooperation to be
targeted and created the Québec-Catalonia Joint Committee.

Bilateral relations resulted, based on respect and mutual interest. Over the following
three decades, Catalonia and Québec have mutually observed, visited, analyzed and
supported each other. Ties have been maintained and have reached a high degree of
maturity through the organization of symposia, conferences and forums, the exchange
of practices and ways of operating, hosting economic, institutional and political
missions, and supporting cooperation projects and artistic performances in the partner
territory.

The parliaments of Québec and Catalonia also established a Québec - Catalonia Interparliamentary
Commission (CIQC) to forge closer ties and sustain relations between the two legislative
assemblies.

The Catalan government has two representative organizations in North America:

The Montréal ACC1Ó office (Catalonia Competitiveness Agency), which has been representing
the economic and commercial interests of Catalonia in Canada and Québec since 2001

The Delegation of the Government of Catalonia to the United States, which has been
overseeing bilateral relations with the United States and Canada (hence Québec)
since it opened in New York City in January 2008

Québec and Catalonia's respective networks of government offices abroad established close and exceptional collaboration at events held in territories where they are both present.

In recent years, numerous missions and visits have taken place in sectors of
common interest such as:

Areas of collaboration

Economy

The growth of Catalan investments in Québec and the importance of bilateral trade
between Catalonia and Québec are creating new business opportunities for Québec companies, particularly in technology-intensive
sectors.

Cooperation between Québec and Catalonia is driven by sectors with strong economic
potential such as:

Biotechnology

Agri-food sector

Information and communication technology

Publishing

Tourism

The environment

Applied health research

The knowledge economy is also making a significant contribution to cooperation through
the establishment of the Montréal-Barcelona Summer School on Management of Creativity,
now in its fifth edition 2013.

Eight Québec companies have operations in Catalonia, and a dozen Catalan firms have set up operations in Québec.

Air Transat's direct Montréal - Barcelona air link, inaugurated in May, 2007, has
had a positive effect on the growth of tourism exchanges.

Culture

Culture is probably the most important aspect of Québec-Catalan relations. Similarities
between the two regions with respect to identity, culture and language protection have
paved the way for forging close and promising cultural ties. Within the span of
less than a year, for instance, Québec was showcased at two major cultural events
in Catalonia: LIBER (an international book fair held in Barcelona in October, 2008)
and Fira Tàrrega (a circus and street arts festival held in the Catalan city of
Tàrrega in September, 2009). And, in 2012, the City of Montréal was the guest of honour at the La Mercè Festival.

In recent years, Québec has become Catalonia's most important Canadian partner in
the cultural sector since Québec artists account for the bulk of Canada's cultural
presence in Catalonia. A number of Québec festivals, companies and artists perform
regularly in Catalonia:

Cirque du Soleil

Cirque Eloize

Just for Laughs Festival

Marie Chouinard

Grands Ballets Canadiens

La La La Human Steps

Robert Lepage

Wajdi Mouawad

The 7 Fingers

Dynamo Theatre

Le Carrousel Theatre

An increasing number of Québec films are also being screened and appreciated in
Catalonia: Québec was the guest of honour at FILMETS 2011 (Badalona [Barcelona]
International Short Film Festival).

Tourism

Tourism also represents a vector for expanding bilateral economic relations between Québec and Catalonia. Air Transat inaugurated its Montréal-Madrid air link in the summer of 2006, followed by a Montréal-Barcelona air link in May, 2007. These direct flights have had a positive effect on the growth of tourism exchanges and contribute to bolstering Québec tourism image in Catalonia.

Mobility

In order to adapt employment services in Catalonia to the labour market's current
and future needs, the Catalan government took steps focusing on three core areas:
innovation, integration and internationalization. With respect to internationalization,
the Catalan government wishes to foster the international expansion of Catalan businesses
and enable its workers to have access to job offers and internships abroad.

Recognizing their mutual interest in increasing collaboration to foster the mobility
of Catalan workers wishing to come to Québec and facilitate the socio-professional
integration of those benefiting from such mobility, both governments signed a Joint Declaration (in French)
on labour mobility cooperation between Québec and Catalonia in Barcelona on February
2, 2012.

Youth

During his visit to Québec, the Vice President of Catalonia and the CEO of OQMJ
(Québec World Office for Youth) signed an Agreement between the OQMJ and the Government
of Catalonia through the intermediary of the Youth Secretariat of Catalan's Ministry
of Social Action and Citizenship. The agreement was signed on July 10, 2010, and
provides opportunities for young people to hone their professional qualifications
through exchanges. (link)

In signing the agreement, both parties committed to implementing a joint exchange program
for young Québec and Catalan adults enabling them to carry out a project or participate
in a multilateral event.

Cooperation

The Cooperation Agreement
between the Government of Québec and the Autonomous Government of Catalonia (in French),
signed in 1996 created the Joint Cooperation Committee, which meets biennially to
take stock of initiatives undertaken during the two-year period, devise and approve
a work program for the next two years and reach consensus on sectoral agreements
that could be signed. The next meeting of the Québec-Catalonia Joint Cooperation
Committee will take place in Barcelona in the spring of 2017.

Since the Québec-Catalonia Joint Cooperation Committee's inception, it has received
over one hundred cooperation projects pertaining to virtually all sectors that fall
within the jurisdiction of both parties: